Report: Delivering the Future of Nuclear in Western Canada
Canada stands at the threshold of a new nuclear era. An era defined not by the legacy of past technologies, but by the promise of innovation, environmental responsibility and reconciliation. With abundant uranium resources, deep regulatory expertise and early leadership in deploying SMRs, Canada is uniquely positioned to lead the western world in clean nuclear development.
In July 2025, the University of Calgary, together with the International Nuclear Law Association (INLA) and MLT Aikins, hosted a conference in Calgary to discuss nuclear energy development specifically in Western Canada. The insights captured in this publication come from many individuals with a broad range of knowledge and experience as well as from publicly available sources. We are immensely grateful to all who shared their expertise and who contributed to the success of the conference.
With this introductory report, we hope to have captured the extensive discussions of our conference and to provide readers with the opportunity to learn more about nuclear energy. Our publication is designed to offer high-level guidance on the legal and policy context and we hope it will become a popular resource for those exploring nuclear development in Western Canada, whether as legal practitioners, policymakers, industry leaders or engaged citizens.
What's inside?
1. The state of nuclear energy in Canada: A new path emerges
2. Laws and regulations
- Canada’s nuclear regulatory framework
- The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
- The Nuclear Safety and Control Act
3. Nuclear liability
- The international history of nuclear liability
- Nuclear liability in practice
4. Uranium mining
- Uranium mining in Canada – Past and present
- Uranium production in Canada today
- Environmental Impact Assessment of uranium projects
- Project licensing in Canada
- Canada’s role in the global energy supply chain
5. Project delivery
- Canada’s role in western nuclear development
- Selecting a delivery model
- Intellectual property strategy in nuclear projects
- Financing nuclear projects
- Dispute avoidance in nuclear project delivery
- Rebuilding the nuclear supply chain
- Canada’s nuclear waste plan
6. Indigenous perspectives
- The importance of Indigenous consultations
- Considerations for Indigenous consultations
- Indigenous rights in uranium mining and nuclear energy
7. Transportation
- Logistics in nuclear transportation
- Understanding liability and regulation in nuclear transportation
- Safety in nuclear transport
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